TORONTO – The Toronto Blue Jays broke camp with six outfielders on the roster and the season’s attrition has now pushed them nine deep at the three spots there, 10 if you count Addison Barger, who’s made 18 of his 53 defensive appearances so far out in right.
That’s a lot, and while there’s still runway before Daulton Varsho and Anthony Santander return from the injured list, Nathan Lukes is due back from his concussion Friday, the unofficial first step in clarifying a somewhat cluttered picture in an area of surplus.
“It’s getting a little clearer, for sure,” manager John Schneider said Thursday, after a 9-5 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks prevented his team from completing a three-game sweep. “There are definitely some guys that are, auditioning is not the right word, but competitively playing for some playing time.”
How it all shakes out is an area of intrigue as the Blue Jays approach the July 31 trade deadline, as the outfield can be both an area of surplus to trade from, and potentially an area to bolster before the cutoff.
If everyone is healthy, Varsho is the obvious starter in centre field, with one of Santander and Springer in a corner while the other, in all likelihood, is at DH. Barger, if not at third base, is in right field, but when he is on the dirt, that creates some flexibility in one of the corners.
Alan Roden, scratched Thursday due to right knee inflammation that has him day-to-day, got some early-season run in left, but Lukes has been getting more regular reps, with more plate appearances than any outfielder outside of Springer, Santander and Barger. Myles Straw, who sprained his ankle Tuesday but is progressing well according to John Schneider, is next up in terms of playing time and offers a right-handed complement to the mix, with Davis Schneider playing the role of lefty masher. Will Robertson, called up to cover for Lukes, is the most recent addition.
That leaves Jonatan Clase, the 23-year-old switch-hitter who hit his second homer of the season Thursday, a 408-foot rocket at 106.1 m.p.h. out to right. Brought up May 7 when the Blue Jays were looking for a jolt, he offers up “an interesting skill-set,” said John Schneider, one that includes “power, some chase, obviously elite speed (and) can make up for some tough balls in the outfield with his speed.”
“He’s a little bit younger,” added the manager, “and there are still some things that we talk about every day with him in terms of game situations and things like that and when to take chances, when to not. But he’s probably a little bit different because of his age and probably the high-ceiling that he does have.”
Part of the return for Yimi Garcia from the Seattle Mariners at the deadline last year, the coming weeks will help determine how Clase ends up fitting the puzzle. Though batting .210/.281/.321 in 26 games, he’s already had several key moments, including a pivotal two-run double May 11 at Seattle, a game-tying RBI single in the 10th inning off Padres closer Robert Suarez on May 22 and a game-tying solo shot in the ninth inning against Cardinals closer Ryan Helsey on June 9.
His homer Thursday, a low-leverage drive that cut into a 9-2 deficit, didn’t carry the same weight but was again demonstrative of his abilities.
“You’ve got to find a way to calm down, to trust yourself and compete,” Clase, speaking through interpreter Hector Lebron, said of his higher-leverage hits. “That’s one of the things that I’ve been able to do, especially in moments like that are very important for me, for my teammates, for the team. Trusting myself and being confident.”
There remains a rawness to his game and his 24 strikeouts against just seven walks in 90 plate appearances are far from ideal, but with only 156 career plate appearances between this year and last, Clase is still very much in a transitionary stage, while also being young in his career.
The main difference between last season and this one in the way he feels is related to his confidence, as he said, “the more you play, the more confidence you get, especially at this level. Seeing more pitches helps a lot. I feel a lot better right now getting my opportunities more often.”
Once Lukes is back, there will be fewer opportunities for others, with the eventual returns of Varsho and Santander looming on the mix. The Blue Jays may at some point choose to recalibrate the roster with another infielder and Will Wagner, who hurt his foot after being demoted, back with triple-A Buffalo and beginning to find his swing. Hard-hitting prospect Orelvis Martinez, also with the Bisons, has started taking groundballs at first base to explore another possible pathway for him to the roster, if his bat locks in.
The time for all the outfielders to carve out their place, then, is now.
“It’s my entire game,” Clase said when asked which of his skills have yet to fully surface in the majors. “The more reps that I get, the more confidence I feel, the more I can show, because I know at this moment I haven’t shown my full abilities. But I’m sure that once I keep getting reps, I will be able to do that.”
NOTES: Kevin Gausman, who allowed a season-high seven runs in 4.1 innings, his second-shortest start of the season, was especially hard on himself after the loss. “To be honest, I feel like everybody kind of did their job this series and I just didn’t,” said Gausman. “We’re playing really well right now, going for a sweep today, and I go out there and do that. So I’m pretty frustrated.” He pointed to struggles with his landing leg “buckling out a lot,” and issues commanding his splitter, vowing to take a deep look and try to figure some things out and get better. I feel like if I can get back to who I am, that’s the next step for this team and I hope to be a big part of it. Right now, I feel like I’m not doing my end.” … Spencer Turnbull will start Friday’s series opener versus the Chicago White Sox.
